The In between Time
by The-Unknown-Halliwell
Summary: My version short version of before the after. Quick summary of the 19 years
1. Finally Finished

Thank you for reading this, I know it has been done a thousand times but I have to get it out of system. Yes, I have seen the light and movedfrom Charmed (nothing wrong with it) to HP (zee best ever). Oh, and if anyone wants to be my beta for either this story or the one I'm starting about Lily and James, drop me a line!

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Harry descended the steps of the Headmaster's office and slowly made his way back to the Great Hall. He could hear Ron behind him muttering obscenities over his decision to get rid of the Elder Wand. Hermione silenced him, and Harry felt them draw closer to him, one on either side. They reached the doors of Hall, and as he put his hand forward, he heard Ron call his name.

"Err, mate?" he began unsteadily, silently urged on by Hermione's expression of encouragement. "We just want to say that, yeah, thanks, for, you know. Well, letting us help you save the world. Well actually . . ." Exasperated, Hermione cut in.

"Harry, we want you to know that we are honoured to be your friends, that we are so proud of you. You saved so many lives," she said gently.

"But clearly not enough. Fred, Tonks, Lupin . . ." Harry trailed off desperately, consumed with grief and guilt. His two best friends put their arms around him, and in that moment, he knew they didn't blame him, that they were always going to be there for him. Drawing away, Harry smiled a grateful smile, and once again thought how blessed he was to friends like these. Standing side-by-side, they pushed open the doors to the Hall and walked in. The talking stopped, and for a split second Harry thought that everyone had turned against him. Then thunderous applause erupted, every single being clapping as hard as they could, including the house-elves, the centaurs, the Malfoys, Ron and Hermione. That is, all except one girl.

Rising from her seat, from her mother's embrace, Ginevra Weasley stood opposite Harry, at the other end of the Hall. The cheers died down as the crowds parted, eagerly watching the two, wanting to whether they were going to reconcile or whether Ginny was going to beat the shit out of Harry. Everyone saw the suffering that Ginny went through that year – she could always be found next to the radio listening to Potter Watch and was often found sobbing in the toilets after some bad news about Harry.

The young wizard shuffled his feet and scratched the back of his neck. He was worried as to whether the love of his life was going to give him a hard time about the lack of contact in the past year, the life threatening situations Harry found himself into and not letting her fight earlier on that day. With the same hard blazing look she had adopted last year in the Griffindor common room, Ginny ran towards Harry, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. It seemed to all that she would never let go. When at last she did, and Harry set her down, for he had lifted her up in the energetic response to her kiss, Ginny managed to speak through the floods of tears that were cascading down her cheeks.

"I-I'm so p-p-proud of y-you," the teenage witch choked out. She laid her head against Harry's broad chest. He bent his head slightly and inhaled her flowery scent, burying his face in her arms. Whispering, he told that they would make it together, that Fred, Tonks and Lupin would be proud of them. Hand in hand, they turned to face everyone else, and were submerged in the crowds of people, of friends, of family, offering their congratulations.

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Review please - no flames though!!!


	2. Desicion Time

Thanks for the reviews everyone!

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Everyone stayed in Hogwarts that night. Well, in Hogwarts or in Hogsmeade. Aberforth Dumbledore grudgingly accepted the parents and families of those still at Hogwarts to sleep on his floor. And there were, of course, the spare beds of those who had deserted Hogwarts in its time of need. The pupils who were underage and had not been allowed to fight, although tried to stay, were allowed back in, to stay with Harry. He had become their leader, their symbol. Everyone wanted a piece of him, wanted him to be constantly in their eyesight. Eventually he managed to escape to bed with his friends. Seamus and Dean gladly evacuated their beds and Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny slept in the same room, although of course Hermione ended in the same bed as Ron and Ginny sneaked in next Harry when she heard her older brother snoring.

The next day, the four friends made their way down to the hall for breakfast. To their utter surprise, it was filled to the brim with everyone, including all those who had stayed in Hogsmeade the night before. Kingsley Shacklebolt was sitting in a chair where the headmaster's chair usually was. It was instead placed at the front of the podium. When he rose, all fell silent and he called forth Harry Potter.

"my dear boy, you have saved the wizarding world, and freed us from the terrors that kept us trembling and unsafe in our very homes. We now have agreed throughout the whole wizarding community that you shall receive a gift that will be made possible through an accumulation of all our magic. We are willing to bring back one person from the dead. You will choose this person and it can be whoever you want. Really, Harry, anyone." Despite the shock that slammed itself upon Harry, he left the stage and headed for where the Weasleys and Hermione were sitting.

"Harry! You can finally have the time you yearned for with Sirius!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Don't be silly. He can have his parents back, well, one of them." Ron chastised.

"Oh, and how will he choose which one, Ron?" Ginny snapped.

"Kids! Let him choose on his own." Mrs Weasley admonished. Harry grinned at the antics of those he had come to realise as his family. After a moments thought, he stood, kissing Ginny on the cheek, and walked confidently up to the stage. Nodding to Shacklebolt, the new Minister for Magic, he addressed the hall, for those who were there were waiting in anticipation for his decision.

"Well, I have made my decision" Harry started. "I could bring back Sirius Black, my beloved godfather. I never spent much time with him, and I long to be with him again. I could bring back Tonks, that is, Dora Tonks, because she was a good friend to me and had recently had a baby boy. Or I could bring back her husband, Remus Lupin, for he was a great friend and teacher, and would have certainly been a great parent. I could ask for one of my parents to be brought back to me, because they were so cruelly taken from me all those years ago. Yet, although I will never forget them, that family over there, the Weasleys, have taken me in and loved me as one of their own. I love them all and so my decision was easy," Harry took a deep breath before he continued. "I would like to bring back . . .

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PLease review! OK, I have a question I would like answered in my reviews: Hermione/George or Hermione/Charlie - I can't decide which one I like better, what do you guys think?

Kat xx


	3. Oh, Brother

Okies, here is the next chapter. Thanks to all of you who reviewed.

This chapter id dedicated to snapplapp21, for being so kind about my other story and having the patience to check out this one!

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Harry took a deep breath before he continued. "I would like to bring back Fred Weasley." No one had been expecting that, except, perhaps Harry's best friends and girlfriend. They knew that Fred's death had hit him hardest because he was there and felt that he could have stopped the death eater. Kingsley rose and grinned at Harry. They shook hands and Harry rejoined the Weasleys and revelled in their joy, especially George's.

"Quickly, everyone. When the clock above me strikes 11, I need you all to focus your magic into the words Harry Potter and say them aloud. At that point the aurors around England will combine their magic and focus it here. Hopefully we shall bring back Fred Weasley." Kingsley said in a commanding tone.

The hall was in tumult for the next five minutes as everyone went to thank Harry, wish the Weasleys luck and begin to focus.

_Ding, ding, ding._ The clock struck. In a monotonous, chanting voice, everyone in Hogwarts, and all over England focused their magic and said _"Harry Potter!"_

All at once, mist appeared on the podium, around the chair that Dumbledore used to sit on and it was known to only a few beings that Dumbledore had stored some of his magic in that chair and that it was being used for the one purpose. All held their breath, but perhaps George, Percy and Molly Weasley most feverently of all. The mist cleared revealing a young man exactly the same as one of the Weasley boys down below. He stumbled as he walked across the podium, leapt down and allowed a cheeky grin to creep across his face.

"Well, I guess I am invincible after all," was all Fred Weasley managed to get out before the rest of the Weasley clan, Hermione, Harry and Lee Jordan launched themselves at their dear and missed brother. For brother he was to all.

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Review please!

Poll: Do you think JKR should have killed off Freddie boy and if not, which Wealsey should have been killed?


	4. Tiny Teddy

A few weeks later, during the summer holidays, Fred had finally recovered and Harry had finally finished all the business he had to attend to within the wizarding world. He finished the letter he was writing to hi aunt and uncle. He wanted to tell them about the war, and that he was safe, for a reason he was unaware of at that moment. He would write to Dudley later – his cousin had written him tons of letters throughout the year and Harry had come to understand that, on some level, Dudley did love him.

Getting up from the desk in the corner of his room he stretched and went to his door. He had finally accepted the Weasleys' offer to move in with them and had happily helped with magically extending the house to accommodate himself, the twins and sometimes Hermione. For some reason, Mrs Weasley had insisted on another room, next to Harry's, with an adjoining door, and Harry was beginning to see why.

His thoughts drifted back to three weeks previously, when Harry, accompanied by the Weasleys and Hermione had attended the double funeral of Tonks and Lupin. It had been a beautiful event, exactly as Harry knew they would have wanted it. They had white coffins and were buried together, side-by-side, forever. When it was over, Harry was comforting Ginny, who was only now letting herself cry, when a fairly old woman came forward carrying a young boy with mouse brown hair and a solemn look upon is face. He was, at most, 3 months old. Harry recognised this woman from the flight from his aunt's house, the flight when Mad Eye was killed.

"Mrs Tonks," he greeted her. "I am so sorry for your losses."

"It's fine," the greying woman assured him, "but I wish to talk with you. I know, for Remus told me, that you are Teddy's godfather, and I suppose that would make this delightful young lady his godmother." Andromeda Tonks gestured to Ginny. Harry nodded and noted that she was looking a lot more frail than when he had seen her at the beginning of the year, and also quite ill.

"Yes, this is my girlfriend, Ginny. Listen, Mrs Tonks, I would love to visit Teddy and perhaps one day I could have custody of him." Harry said tentatively. This woman had just lost her husband and her daughter. He didn't want to take her grandson just yet. However, to his surprise, she laughed.

"My dear boy, you already have custody f him. Legally, that is. You were Remus' dearest friend, and my Dora thought so dearly of you too. They checked with me but made you Teddy's legal guardian if anything happened to them," the old woman paused sadly, reflecting. "I am getting old, and I think it would be an idea if you took teddy soon so that I may die peacefully. Here, hold him." She handed the baby over. At once his hair turned a vibrant turquoise and he grinned up at Harry. They all laughed.

"Looks like he knows who you are, Harry." Ginny smiled. Little teddy held up arms towards her and turned his hair pink when she accepted the child into her arms.

"You three will be fine together," Mrs Tonks smiled serenely, turning and walking away.


	5. Merlin, what a beginning!

OK, guys, this is the end.. I wan to thank everyone who reviewed, and i hope people will continue to do so. This was originally just a small filler in for the 'in-between years', but Sabrina has asked for a sequel. I want at least 5 other people to tell me they want one before i start writing, so its up to you guys! What do you think? The sequel would take off in different directions - I have a few ideas.

I want to dedicate this chappie to Sabrina, thanks for your help, advice, encouragement and kick-up-the-arses!

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Ginny was bouncing the child on her lap as Harry walked carrying a bottle of milk. He sank into the sofa next to her and slid his arm around her shoulders. It was Christmas time and all the others were wrapping presents and helping in the kitchen. Teddy had recently moved in permanently with the Weasleys for Mrs Tonks had passed away last month happily, in the knowledge that her grandson was safe and loved.

It was taking some adjusting to, but Harry loved being with Teddy and nothing made him happier than taking Teddy out with Ginny, Ron and Hermione. Ginny could not help but smile every time she saw Harry and it wasn't just because of the funny feeling she got in her stomach or because of how happy he made her. It was because Harry finally had the life he was content with, and he was so happy.

"Ronald!" came as a screech from the kitchen. "Get down here this instance to help in the kitchen." Harry and Ginny grinned as they heard Ron's weak reply.

"Coming, 'Mione," was the most audible, not to mention most sanitary mumble that escaped his lips as the grumpy wizard trudged down the stairs and met his girlfriend with a small, forced smile upon his lips. Shaking her head, Hermione leaned over and kissed him full on the mouth, to which Harry and Ginny covered Teddy's eyes in mock disgust. They could just hear the extraordinarily clever witch whisper how much she loved him into Ron's ear.

Ginny leaned back into Harry's embrace and sighed with happiness. Things were finally as she had always imagined. She was engaged to the most wonderful man that she had ever set eyes on, she was carrying his child, and they had adopted the adorable Teddy Lupin. Nothing could make her happier. Her life had just begun.

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Review!! Sniff, its all over!

Poll: who wants to go and force JKR to write another story? - joking!

Real Poll: Would you guys be open to fic on Remus stayin alive and possibly adopting Harry later on?


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